A Date for Halloween
by anycsifan
Summary: Set after the movie Cosmo likes one of the costume designers, and she likes him, but the need a little push from Kathy and Don to get things started.


A Date for Halloween

Alice Carroll sat at her desk working on the designs of the costumes for the latest movie when the head of the department, Danielle Finnie, walked in.

"Lina's on her way, do you have the sketches of her costumes finished?" she asked expectantly.

"Of course, hers are the ones I always do first," she answered.

She nodded and walked to her work station. Moments later Lina walked in wearing her white mink fur cape. "Good morning Ms. Lamont, what can we do for you?" Alice asked with a forced smile.

"I'm here to see what you'll be making me wear in this film," she answered in her usual high-pitched, nasally voice.

Alice pulled out her sketches of Lina's dresses. "These are my ideas. They are accurate to the era and are as suited to your tastes as can be."

"The color is all wrong and it's not fancy enough," Lina complained.

"This is the color that will show properly on film, and the place of your character in the court of Miss Selden's character does not allow for a fancier dress. You simply cannot out shine her in the film, no matter how much you would like to," Alice explained, only just managing to mask her frustration.

Lina had just opened her mouth to object when a voice came from the doorway. "Yeah Lina, Kathy is the star after all." The two turned to see Cosmo leaning against the door frame. Alice smiled at the sight of him.

"I'm a star too!" Lina whined.

"If you're a star then Miss Selden is the sun," Alice retorted. "Now, if you'll excuse me I need to find Mr. Lockwood."

"Well, if you'll follow me milady I'd be happy to take you to the man you seek," Cosmo said as he made a grand gesture leading out the door.

"Thank you my good sir," Alice smiled and walked to his side.

The two strolled along together in a comfortable silence until a thought struck Cosmo. "What do you need Don for?"

"I want to make sure his costumes fit properly. I left them in his room earlier so he could try it on when he got the chance and could try a few steps in them to make sure he can move and dance well enough," she explained.

They heard clapping emanating from an open stage door and decided to peak in. They saw Don tapping and twirling in pantaloons, and a jacket over a ruffled shirt that seemed to fit him like dream. Cosmo and Alice walked in and sat next to the source of the clapping, Kathy. When Don stopped dancing his audience of three erupted in cheers.

"Thank you, thank you," he dramatically bowed.

"Looks like that fits you fine," Alice said as she stood and looked Don up and down.

"It feels great, and so do the other costumes. You've done a brilliant job," he told her.

"Thank you," she nodded and turned to Kathy. "How do your dresses fit?"

"Wonderfully," she smiled.

"That's great. Now if I could only make Lina happy with the sketches I'd be able to actually make the costumes." Alice turned to leave but Cosmo caught her hand.

"Say, why don't you stay? I'm sure Lina's still bothering Danielle, do you really want to go back to that?" he asked, knowing the answer.

"No, but I've done what I needed to. Unless you have a need for me there's no reason for me to stay, other than simply wanting to," she responded, slipping her hand from Cosmo's.

"But I do need you. I'm trying to write a symphony."

"Where do I come in?"

"You'd be my beautiful muse," he told her as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Alice blushed and smiled," As flattering as that is, I'm afraid Danielle wouldn't buy it." Alice walked back to the costume department and made it there just as Lina was leaving.

"D'you have fun with your boyfriend?" Lina asked in her nails on a chalkboard voice.

Alice thought for a second and realized who the Prima Donna meant, "Last I checked, Cosmo isn't my boyfriend. He is a friend, and he is male, but we are not dating," she said.

"Well there are people that even that little annoyance of a nobody is too good for," Lina sniffed and walked away.

Alice wanted to say so many things in defense of herself and Cosmo, but couldn't seem to find her voice, and so she sulked back to her desk to get back to working on Lina's costume designs.

Don, Cosmo, and Kathy were walking back to Don's dressing room when he put an arm around Cosmo. "So Cos, what were you doing in the costume department?"

"I heard Lina, and you know how I enjoy ruffling her feathers. Happily I heard Alice beating me to the punch," he explained.

"Oh?"

"Oh yes." Cosmo told them what happened.

"That's some girl. She's not afraid to tell Lina no. Most expect that'll get them canned."

"It usually does, but R.F. seems to like her."

"Maybe he thinks Lina needs to hear just what Alice told her," Kathy offered.

"I'd agree with him if that were the case," Cosmo said.

"As would I, but back to the original question. What were you doing in the costume department?" Don prodded.

Cosmo held up his hands. "I've been caught. I was going to see Alice and say good morning to her, maybe even chat a little and poke fun at Don."

"So you like her?"

"Yeah, she's beautiful and full of moxie. Why?"

"Don't you need a date to the Halloween party?" Kathy asked.

"I would if I were going, but I'm not, so I don't."

"Perfect. Alice needs a date to that phantasmagoria reenactment that you were interested in going to," Don grinned.

"She's going to that?"

Kathy and Don nodded.

"Wait, I can't just invite myself, and there's no reason for her to invite me, and how do you know she's going?"

"She mentioned it to Don when she was taking his measurements," Kathy told him.

"I mentioned it to Kathy over lunch that day," Don continued.

"And I brought it up while she took my measurements. She said she had and extra ticket and I mentioned you," Kathy concluded.

Cosmo sighed. "She still needs to ask me."

"I doubt she's immune to your charms," Don winked.

"You mean she's not like all the other girls I've met."

"Hey, I think you're charming."

"I meant all but you Kath."

She hugged Cosmo, "I know," she winked.

Cosmo walked back to the costume department in hopes of talking to Alice and ran into her just as he reached the door.

Alice knelt down to pick up her scattered sketches, "Sorry, I didn't see you there."

Cosmo knelt to help her, "It's no trouble, I was hoping to run into you anyway."

"You were looking for me? Why?"

"A little birdie told me you were going to the phantasmagoria reenactment."

"You know about that?"

"Yeah, I was thinking about going myself."

Alice took the sketches that Cosmo had gathered and stood, "I thought you'd be going to the Halloween party."

"I don't have a date, and the girls there always want me to get them into pictures. The phantasmagoria sounds like a lot more fun," he explained as he stood.

"Well, I have an extra ticket, perhaps you'd like to come with me," Alice offered.

"I'd love that, and I can take you out to dinner beforehand," Cosmo said with a bright smile.

"You mean like a date?" she asked, not believing what she'd heard.

"Yeah, I suppose so."

"That sounds wonderful! I'd love to go on a date with you Cosmo," she beamed.

"You would?" he asked in disbelief.

"You sound so surprised."

"So did you."

"Of course I did. You're the head of the music department, a script writer, and Don Lockwood's lifelong best friend, ergo too good for me, the little nobody of a costume designer," she admitted with her head hung low.

Cosmo took her by the shoulders, "Are you crazy?" he lifted her chin, "You're beautiful, funny, a fantastic designer, and you have the guts to talk back to Lina. Don and Kathy both adore you and are the ones that told me about you going to the phantasmagoria, which is just the icing on the cake. I never thought a girl as perfect as you would be interested in a sidekick like me."

"I've always preferred the funny man over the straight man, and you're the funniest man I've ever met," she blushed.

"And here I thought you'd be immune to my charms."

"Not a chance," she winked.

Cosmo smiled, and remembered why there were in the doorway, "Where were you going in such a hurry?"

"I was going to look for Lina. I've made the dresses look as extravagant as possible without over shadowing Kathy or breaking the budget, but Danielle says I need Lina's approval before I can start making them," Alice explained.

"Why not just go to R.F. or Dexter? They could approve the dresses and though Lina would complain all you'd have to do is send her to them," Cosmo said.

"Easier said than done. I have no connection to R.F. or Dexter."

"You do now, but both of them have left to prepare for the party, as has Lina."

"Then I suppose that means I'm done for the night."

Cosmo held out his elbow, "Dinner and a show milady?"

Alice gladly took the offered appendage, "Sound delightful."

Cosmo and Alice left the theater arm in arm with smiles on their faces. "That was so much fun Cosmo, and I'm glad you came with me."

"I had fun too, and I wish this could last all night."

"I'm not sure about all night, but you could come over to my place for a little while," she offered.

"I'd love to."

Alice stepped over the threshold and held the door for Cosmo to enter. "It's not much, but it's home."

Cosmo shrugged off his coat and hung it on the rack before looking around the nearby den, "I think it's quite cozy."

Alice walked past him and sat on the couch. "I'm sure you've gotten used to something more impressive than this."

Cosmo joined her on the couch. "Only because of Don. He's the one with the big, expensive house. I think this is bigger than my place."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Even though I got a raise after 'Dancing Cavalier' I had to buy a new car after my old one decided to give up the ghost."

"Well, you're welcomed here anytime."

"Do you mean it?"

"Of course. It's no fun being here all alone, and you make excellent company."

"I must say that you do as well. I can't remember the last time I've had this much fun without Don or Kathy," Cosmo smiled.

"I've had a lot of fun tonight too," Alice smiled back. "Say, why don't I turn on the radio?"

"That sounds great."

Alice walked over and turned on her radio then tuned it to a soft music station.

Cosmo stood and held his hand out to her. "Care to dance?"

Alice took his hand, "I'd love to." She stepped into his arms, but didn't bother with the waltz hold. She wrapped her arms around his neck, Cosmo put his hands on her hips, and lead her as they swayed in a small circle.

They stayed like that through the first two songs, but as the third started Alice brought her arms down to wrap around Cosmo's waist, and rested her head on his chest. He drew her close, put his arms around her waist, and rested his cheek on her head.

Alice wanted to nuzzle closer, she loved how Cosmo smelled, and knew that he wasn't wearing cologne as Kathy had mentioned that he never does.

Cosmo felt as though any manner of death that involved the scent of Alice's hair would mean him dying happy. Alice's scent alone was intoxicating enough, but with the smell of her shampoo mixed in he was over the moon.

When the fourth song ended the late night mystery show started. "Have you been keeping up with this one?" Alice asked.

"Of course, I love a mystery. Mind if I stay and listen? I'd like to know if someone new dies," Cosmo answered.

"I don't mind at all, but don't you think we should move back to the couch?" she looked up at Cosmo with brilliant blue eyes that twinkled in the dim light of the sconces.

Cosmo nodded, to dazed to speak, and was lead back to the couch. Once they were seated Alice cuddled closed to Cosmo, he draped an arm around her shoulders, and they listened to the radio program. They were kissing before it ended.

Alice woke in bed the next morning feeling as though not even Lina Lamont would be able to upset her that day. The reason why stirred slightly next to her and she smiled as Cosmo drew her close.

"Good morning," he whispered sweetly in her ear.

"Good morning," she returned. Just as she settled into his embrace the phone rang. Alice groaned before going to answer it. "Hello…Good morning to you too sir…I understand…Oh, I'll find some way to keep myself occupied…Oh, I'm sure that Mr. Lockwood would've done that himself by now…I see, well why don't I do that for you, it sounds like you could use some rest sir…Good day to you too sir," she set the receiver down and returned to bed.

"What was that about?" Cosmo asked, still waking up.

"R.F. says we all have the day off. Everyone has a hangover, and I told him that's I'd make sure you knew seeing as Don is amongst those indisposed."

"Oh? Well, what would you like to do?"

"Sleep in, spend the day in bed, or with you."

"Those are mutually exclusive."

"I know, but first, sleep."

Cosmo nodded and the two curled up to rest for whatever the rest of the day might hold.


End file.
